Judi Gevara is changing the bridal scene, one preserved flower at a time

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May, let’s honor women like Judi Gevara, who are creating positive change. Judi founded Bloomsake, a flower preservation company that helps brides appreciate their wedding florals more. See the images below for some stunning results as Bloomsake preserves wedding bouquets in unique coasters, trays, ring holders, and more! So creative and beautiful, with no two being the same.

I love flowers, so I was excited to find Judi Gevera and Bloomsake. While I couldn’t have fresh flowers at my wedding due to a close family member’s allergy, if I had done, I definitely would have wanted to keep my wedding bouquet looking beautiful as a keepsake for a long time to come. I had the opportunity to ask Judi a few questions, including how she began this flower journey.

Q&A with Judi Gevara, founder of Bloomsake

Judi explained that she began preserving her friends’ bridal bouquets, and Bloomsake grew from there. This business is literally built on love!

Judi, what inspired you to go from preserving friends’ bouquets to creating Bloomsake?

I saw a lack of flower preservation services in the industry and I was constantly getting brides and their mothers asking about it. It started slowly with my friend’s bouquets and then word of mouth eventually spread and I wanted to extend that service to others.

Why do you think people have strong attachment to flowers?

Flowers are such a huge part of the wedding day! People put in a lot of effort to pick them out, and may have special meanings. Scent has a strong attachment to memory, too so whenever you smell that particular flower it can become associated with that particular moment in time.

Looking back at your own experience, what advice would you give another woman who wants to enter the bridal industry as an entrepreneur?

I would encourage others to network with as many people as possible. And as for your future clients and customers, put yourself in their position and come from a place of understanding that they’re often going to be stressed and need a bit more attention given the high-stakes industry.

More about how Judi Gevara created Bloomsake

Judi Gevara, a Houston-based mother of two, founded Bloomsake to offer a creative way for people to seal the memories of their most special days in sentimental keepsakes to be treasured for years to come.

Judi started in the Houston wedding industry as manager of a local bridal boutique. She loved being a part of so many brides’ big days and helping them find the perfect dress, but she began to notice an influx of requests regarding where to preserve their beautiful bouquets. Although she didn’t have an answer about where to go or how to get their preservations done, the idea stuck with Judi.

Soon enough, Judi began playing around with the idea of casting bouquets in resin. First, she preserved her friends’ bouquets by drying them with a special method to draw out all the moisture. Then, Judi arranged the dehydrated flowers in molds selected by the bouquet owners and poured resin on top to encapsulate the design, the beauty, and the special memories the bouquets represented.

The whole process took about six months, but at the end of the long wait, the preservations were a success. As people began to receive their creations back, news spread and Judi’s work quickly gained popularity as more women began asking her to preserve their bouquets. Beyond brides and weddings, people also wanted unique keepsakes for flowers from funerals, graduations, landmark anniversaries, and more.

COVID-19 hit, and Judi was still working at the bridal boutique but was unhappy with her job. With her side business booming, she decided to take a big risk and launch her business, Bloomsake, full-time. As Judi began posting on Facebook bridal groups to share her service, her business grew locally and became a well-known entity in the Houston bridal community. Eventually, she opened her own Etsy shop, at which point the orders really started to roll in. Judi began receiving dozens of bouquets per week and worked tirelessly to produce her resin creations out of her garage. The volume remained so high that she bought her own office space and hired team members to help to meet the demand.

2023 brings new and exciting changes as Bloomsake continues to expand and rise in popularity in Houston and beyond. This year, Judi plans to expand into her own retail space and is working on potential partnerships with other businesses.

About Bloomsake Floral Preservation

Founded by Judi Gevara in 2020, Bloomsake offers a modern version of floral preservation with keepsakes cast in resin. By preserving your flowers, Bloomsake can turn your beautiful bouquets and floral arrangements into a memento you can keep in your home.

Each unique resin creation reminds you of special memories from your most important days, including weddings, funerals, graduations, landmark anniversaries, and beyond. Keepsakes are customizable in one-of-a-kind trays, coasters, ring holders, and more, each of which is designed to last a lifetime.

Takeaway on Judi Gevara, AAPI Heritage month, and love

Congratulations to Judi Gevara, a talented woman entrepreneur who is paving her own lane and achieving success as she grows Bloomsake! The preserved florals from wedding bouquets are pieces of art. What a creative and lovely way to cherish and honor the wedding day and the loving marriage that comes from it.

On AAPI Heritage Month and every day of the year, we celebrate diversity on the When Women Inspire blog and how women continue to overcome present and past challenges. Find more AANI content in this guest post on Japanese American WWII novels. Let’s continue to support AAPI business owners like Judi, who are building their platforms on love, hard work, and perseverance.